Health Department identifies bacteria in Mighty Taco's refried beans

Bacteria known to cause vomiting within 30 minutes to six hours of being consumed in contaminated food were found in a batch of refried beans suspected of sickening at least 140 Mighty Taco customers, the State Department of Health reported Monday.

The bacterium was identified as "Bacillus cereus" which "produces a toxin that causes illness," state health officials said in a statement.

Earlier this month, 140 people who ate at several Mighty Taco locations throughout Erie and Niagara counties reported feeling ill. The restaurant chain said refried beans provided by a third-party supplier was suspected of causing the illnesses. The beans were taken to the state public health lab for testing.

State health officials said the investigation was continuing. They also said the FDA is also investigating the supplier.

They added: "There have been no recent reports of gastrointestinal illness among patrons of Mighty Taco.”

Maki Becker – Maki Becker has been a staff reporter at The Buffalo News since 2005. Before that, she worked at the New York Daily News and the Charlotte Observer.